Stop Me, And Steal My Breath
by BeautifulWreck
Summary: Carby, takes place around season 12 or 13. Abby is dating Luka but the whole pregnancy thing never happened. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Only fifteen minutes to go until my shift is over," thought Abby to herself as she

walked towards the admit desk. It had been a quiet night shift, which she was

more than grateful for. Kerry was adding a name on to the board and when Abby

saw it her heart stopped. "C-Carter's back?" she stammered.

"Yup guess Africa was too much for him," said Kerry as she walked off. Abby

stood there for a second completely immobile and unable to breathe. How could

Carter be back? And how long would he be back for? What would he say about her

and Luka? All these questions were spinning through her mind just as Luka

startled her,

"Hey, " he said as she spun around.

"Hey," she said, "Carter's back,"

"Really?" Luka questioned. Luka seemed happy and very nonchalant about the

whole thing and Abby couldn't understand why she felt as though the room was

spinning and she was about to throw up. Luka noticed she was tense,

"Hey you okay?" he said.

"Yeah, no I'm fine." Abby assured him.

"Alright see you later?" Luka said walking off.

"Yeah, see you later."

As Abby breathing calmed down, she tried to convince herself that everything was

fine. When Carter had left Chicago they had been somewhat of casual friends,

nothing like they were before they had dated but they were still friends. Abby had

no reason to get worked up over Carter's returning especially because she was

finally happy here with Luka, and nothing, not even Carter coming back could

change that.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Abby's breakup had often haunted her, she always had wondered what may have 

happened if she and Carter had been able to work things out. And up until today

Abby had come to the conclusion that such thoughts were useless because Carter

was out of her life forever. But now, she was unsure of what Carter's return would 

bring, maybe she was overreacting to the whole thing, but maybe she had a

reason to worry. Abby stepped outside and the chilling Chicago winds consumed

her, she pulled her scarf tightly around her and made her way home. Walking

through the front door she looked at the scene before her, this was her life now 

living here with Luka and being happy, something she deserved so much. She was

a different person now, whether she wanted to believe it or not and her life had

taken a turn for the better. As Abby walked into their bedroom, she looked down

at a sleeping Luka, he looked so peaceful and in that moment Abby was so 

grateful for everything, yet the nagging feeling arising in her stomach was

something that just couldn't be ignored. 

Abby awoke to an empty bed, "Luka must have already started his shift", she 

thought to herself. Abby dragged herself out of bed and heading off to the

hospital. As soon as Abby reached the doors to County a GSW was rolling in and

she jumped right on the case without even time to get settled in. About 45 minutes 

later her patient went up to surgery, and she still hadn't spotted Luka anywhere.

Abby walked towards admit looking for Luka, only to find John. Abby's heart stood

still in time and memories flooded her head. And although she was standing still, 

she was already falling.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: I am out of town for a few days so I updated with two chapters, thank you so much for the reviews I really appreciate them!_

Chapter 3

Abby was never one to believe in fate, or love at first site. And up until now, she

had always thought that she would never see Carter again, but there he was right

in front of her and although she had known he was back, nothing could have

prepared her for this moment.He looks the same, she thought.Carter had been

occupied by the chart he was holding, but then he looked up. Their eyes met, and

Carter's mouth turned upwards into a smile. He walked over to his old friend,

Abby looked up half smiling,"Hey stranger,"

"Hey," they hugged in awkward way, which was painfully obvious as they each

stumbled for words. Carter looked at her, beautiful as ever. Her hair was much

darker now like it had been before they started dating, and her bangs covered her

deep brown eyes, the eyes he once fell into.

"How are you?" Abby managed to get out.

"Fine, I'm fine. You look…" Carter cursed himself how painfully stupid he must

sound now.

"Yeah you too," Abby quickly finished.

"So," Abby began, "What brings you back to Chicago? Are you here for good or...?" Abby let the question dangle a moment.

"I'm here for good, I think." He quickly responded.

Abby smiled once again, "Alright well I got a patient waiting to head up to surgery…"  
"Yeah," Carter said, "Coffee later?"

"Um," Abby paused, "Yeah coffee later."

And as Carter watched Abby walk away, he had to stop and take a deep breath, because

she had just taken his away.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As Abby walked away from Carter, her mind was spinning. Everything that she

had once felt for him came rushing back to her mind. Abby was so occupied by

her thoughts that she didn't even recognize Luka standing right in front of her.

"Hey, you know you should be watching where you're going." Luka teased. 

Abby smiled and looked up at him, "Hey, did our guy go up to surgery yet?"

"Yeah Dubenko just took him up, are you okay? You seem a little rattled."

"Oh no I'm…I'm fine." Abby reassured Luka, but really she was reassuring 

herself.

"Have you seen Carter yet?" he questioned curiously.

"Um, actually yeah I just ran into him at admit, we might have coffee later on."

"Oh okay good, I haven't seen him yet. I'm sure I'll run into him."

Abby flashed him a smile and walked on. She only had a few more patients to

take care of before her shift was over, before she went to get coffee with Carter,

before she told the man she once loved that she had moved on with her life, that

she had moved on with Luka.

Carter looked at the familiar sights around him and knew that he would never be

able to leave this ER again. Africa had been such an experience one that he had

grown from considerably. And although Africa would always have a place in his

heart, he knew this was where he was supposed to be practicing medicine. His

shift was finally over and Carter made his way to the lounge. As Carter opened

the door, there stood Luka.

"Hey! How are you?" Luka greeted Carter warmly.

"I'm great, how are you? I hear you're Chief now? Congratulations."

"Yeah, everything's going really well. What about you? What brings you back to town?"

"Everything is good," Carter replied. "I just needed a little bit of break from Africa and everything, I figured I'd come back to Chicago and see some familiar faces, you know?"

"Absolutely," said Luka nodding his head. "You know you're always welcomed back here. Your shift already over?"

"Yeah I was actually about to meet up with Abby, she looked great earlier."

"Oh yeah," Luka said somewhat uneasily. "She mentioned meeting up with you earlier, I still have a while to go before I'm off. But you should go talk to her."

"Alright I'll see you later." Carter said as he walked out.

He couldn't help but wonder how close of friends Abby and Luka were now that he 

wasn't there. It was something he knew he shouldn't care about; after all he had

been the one who left. But somehow now that he was back he couldn't help but

feel as though maybe he had made a mistake by leaving. And the thought of Abby 

having moved on with her life was almost something he couldn't bear to think of.

Because truthfully Carter wanted to know that she still needs him, because without

her, he had been unable to move on himself.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews I greatly appreciate them :)_

Chapter 5

Carter's thoughts were interrupted by Abby's voice.

"Hey, coffee time?" she said smiling.

Carter looked up, "Hi, yeah sure."

Abby smiled and Carter smiled back, and the two began to walk. Once they had

gotten their coffees they continued walking. It was chilly out and Abby hugged her

jacket close as the wind whipped her hair around. An uneasy silence surrounded

them, for neither one wanted to be the first to speak, to break the walls that they

were clinging on to.

"So…" Abby began, "How was your first shift back?"

"It was pretty slow, not too many traumas." Carter said rather quickly.

"Yeah" Abby responded. "So how long are you back for?"

"Hopefully for good." Carter said looking for her reaction.

Abby said nothing, only nodding as if she hadn't just realized her whole world was

just turned upside down.

"What about Kem?" She said curiously.

"Kem's staying back in Africa." Carter said this with no emotion, he made it sound like it was nothing.

Abby nodded, "So you're not…?"

"No. We broke up. I don't think we were ready for all the distance that was going to be put between us, and in the end we just realized that there was nothing left either one of us could give."

Abby nodded once again, "I'm sorry." And she really meant it, because while Kem

had been the other woman, she knew that Carter had been in love with Kem, and

this had to have hurt him.

"It's tough, but I'm glad to be back here." Carter replied.

Abby looked up at him with a smile, "I'm glad you're back too."

Just then Abby's cell phone rang she went into her pocket to reach for it, "Hello?"

she answered. Carter couldn't help but notice her voice soften as she carried on,

"Oh hey, no I'm not home yet, I just grabbed a coffee with Carter, alright I'll see you at home, mm-kay love you too."

Those last three words rang back in Carter's head. Who exactly was Abby on the

phone with? Abby shoved her phone back into her pocket, not even realizing that

Carter probably had just heard her tell Luka that she loved him, not knowing that

she had just shattered any lasting hope in his heart.


End file.
